Episode notes
In this episode of Prof to Prof, Scott Cowley, associate professor of marketing and Director of the Digital Marketing Program at Western Michigan University, explains what students need to know about SEO in the age of AI. Drawing from current job-market research and his own classroom experience, Scott shows that traditional SEO skills still matter, but students must also understand how brands become recommendations within AI-generated answers.
Designed for marketing and business faculty, this presentation makes concepts such as query fan-out and retrieval-augmented generation easier to teach. Scott shares practical ways instructors can bring GEO (generative engine optimization) into their courses through AI visibility audits, client projects, and content strategy exercises. Learn how to help students measure a brand’s presence in AI search, create content grounded in real evidence, and build portfolio projects that prepare them to discuss AI-ready marketing work in job interviews